Jan R. Schlichtmann is one of the country’s most notable plaintiff’s attorneys. Mr. Schlichtmann specializes in the area of complex civil litigation including consumer, environmental, product, toxic, and mass tort litigation. In 1973, Mr. Schlichtmann graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and in 1977 earned his law degree from Cornell. While at law school, he clerked for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and after graduation joined the staff of the U.S. House Special Select Committee on Assassinations as special counsel. In 1978, Mr. Schlichtmann began private practice in Massachusetts as a trial lawyer earning recognition for obtaining some of that state’s highest verdicts and settlements in civil torts.

In 1986, Mr. Schlichtmann received national recognition for his representation of eight Woburn, Massachusetts families against W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods for the contamination of the Woburn City water supply. The groundbreaking nature of the Woburn case and Mr. Schlichtmann’s work in it has been the subject of a number of national and international television and radio shows, press reports, and magazine stories including “60 Minutes” and “Nova,” as well as articles in legal and scientific journals and books. Mr. Schlichtmann’s career and involvement in the Woburn case was chronicled in the national bestseller, “A Civil Action” that became a major motion picture starring John Travolta as Mr. Schlichtmann.

Mr. Schlichtmann has served on the faculty of the New England School of Law and Suffolk Law School’s continuing legal education program, and has been on the faculty of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada. He has lectured at many of the nation’s law schools and colleges and spoken before numerous national and regional professional and civic groups, has appeared on a number of the country’s major radio and television shows, and has participated in an array of public forums on issues of law, public policy and the environment. In addition, Mr. Schlichtmann has consulted with and testified before several governmental agencies and legislative committees on issues of toxic waste liability and the civil justice system.

In 1990, Mr. Schlichtmann, as a member of a special legislatively mandated committee, helped author a complete revision of the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Cleanup Statute which was enacted into law July of 1992. Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory has accorded Mr. Schlichtmann its highest ratings for both legal ability (“A” preeminent) and general recommendation of the bar and judiciary (“V” very high). Mr. Schlichtmann has been listed in “The Best Lawyers in America.”

Environmental activists and concerned citizens wil be encircling the White House in an effort to urge President Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
This proposed 2,000 mile pipeline will stretch from Alberta Canada to our Nations Heartland and terminate at the GulfCoast. The payload is tar sands oil from under Canada's Boreal forest home to many unique species of song birds. This highly toxic oil is corrosive to pipes and poses a serious and likely threat to the ecosystem and food producing areas of our country.
This is a diverse coalition of laborers, farmers, ranchers, environmentalists and concerned citizens from varied geographic locations such as the Gulf Coast, Appalachia, Vermont and the Nation's Heartland; uniting in this urgently important demonstration and debate. Chief among the organizers is NRDC Founding Director John H. Adams who will be leading a group of NRDC staff members in this effort. Many other groups are expected to join in to send the message to the President.
To learn more about the November 6th gathering to Washington, DC to encircle the White House to ask President Obama to reject Keystone XL, visit:

This historical technological monument was funded and built during the Carter Administration as part of the Photovoltaic Demonstration Project initiative. The country was motivated to find answers to the energy crisis and our dependence on foreign sources. It is the sole remaining facility in operation of the original eight demonstration sites established across the country. During the interview, Lisa Lillelund of Mango Networks, and a Clean Energy Advocate, brings to light the unique history and significance of this solar field located in Beverly, Massachusetts.
The park's location was selected due largly from the efforts of a prominent Massachusetts resident and M.I.T scientist, Dr. John Coleman. Over the past several years, a wind turbine and photovoltaic array located on the rooftop of newly built Beverly High School have been added to the mix of sustainable renewable energy. The current combined yield of these solar and wind installations is 193-kilowatts and helps supply the high school with electricity.
Beverly High School, which is a green school has been a proving ground for the many of the significant advances over the years which have lead to more efficient output and reduced costs of alternative energy solutions.
Fred Hopps, the Director of Greenergy Park, points out that the site was originally conceived and constructed as an experiment on solar energy. "There was an uncertainty as to how this technology would hold up over time. And each year we learn how resilient and reliable solar power can be, not only for homes and businesses but as an industry."
For more information about the positive impact of schools going green have on the environment and the economy, follow this link to the article, Beverly High Ranks High Among Green Buildings, by Lisa Lillelund.

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